MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF MBABANE OWED OVER E40 MILLION IN PROPERTY RATES

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• Municipality gives owing rate payers 14 days to settle outstanding amounts or risk their property being sold by public auction
• In the case of a deceased property owner, next of kin is advised to seek assistance from Master of the High Court Office

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Photo Credhttps://www.thekingdomofeswatini.com/central-eswatini/mbabane/

By Ntokozo Nkambule

Over E40 million in property rates is owed to the Municipal Council of Mbabane by individual residents, trusts and companies.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Municipality, Lucky Tsabedze confirmed the amount in an interview with this publication. He urged all owing individuals, companies and trusts to ensure that they make payments or their properties risk being auctioned by the Municipality. The PRO said owing Mbabane residents, should ensure that they enquire with them to find out if their property is not at risk of being auctioned. He said they had issued a list on the daily newspapers of properties that are at risk of being auctioned. “The persons of whose names are on the list we issued out in daily publications are required to make payment of the amounts reflected against their names within 14 days from the date of publication of the notice. These are balances as at March 2022. In default thereof, application will be made to Court, to order such property to be sold by public auction, in satisfaction of the rates outstanding in terms of Section 32(3) of the Rating Act 1995” notes the Council.

Tsabedze further noted that in the unfortunate event the property owner is deceased, his or her next of kin are kindly advised to seek assistance from the Master of the High Court office, because failure to do that may result in the property being sold by public auction. He said anyone with further questions or concerns can contact them for further clarity.